Process and plant for building tyres for vehicle wheels

ABSTRACT

A plant for building tyres for vehicle wheels, includes a sleeve building area in which devices for obtaining carcass sleeves operate, a crown building area in which devices for obtaining crown structures operate and a shaping station for shaping each carcass sleeve according to a toroidal configuration. Transfer devices for transferring the carcass sleeves from the sleeve building area to the shaping station, by a first translator configured for picking up each carcass sleeve from an outlet station of the sleeve building area, a second translator configured for releasing each carcass sleeve in the shaping station, and a storage device operatively interposed between said first translator and second translator.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a national phase application based onPCT/IB2015/058916, filed Nov. 18, 2015, and claims the priority ofItalian Patent Application No. MI2014A002260, filed Dec. 29, 2014, thecontent of each application being incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a process and a plant for buildingtyres for vehicle wheels.

More particularly, the invention is intended for the building of greentyres, to be subsequently subjected to a vulcanisation cycle forobtaining the final product.

Description of the Related Art

With the term “elastomeric material” it is intended to indicate acomposition comprising at least one elastomeric polymer and at least onereinforcement filler. Preferably, such composition also comprisesadditives, such as a cross-linking agent and/or a plasticising agent.Due to the presence of the cross-linking agent, such material can becross-linked by means of heating so as to form the final manufacturedproduct.

The terms “radial” and “axial” and the expressions “radiallyinternal/external” and “axially internal/external” are used by referringto the radial direction of the used forming drum/of the tyre (i.e. to adirection perpendicular to the rotation axis of the aforesaid formingdrum/tyre) and to the axial direction of the used forming support/of thetyre (i.e. to a direction parallel to the rotation axis of the aforesaidforming drum/tyre). The terms “circumferential” and “circumferentially”are instead used by referred to the annular extension of the aforesaidforming support/tyre.

A tyre for vehicle wheels generally comprises a carcass structurecomprising at least one carcass ply having respectively opposite endsengaged with respective anchoring annular structures, integrated in thezones normally identified with the name “beads”, having an internaldiameter substantially corresponding to a so-called “fitting diameter”of the tyre on a respective mounting rim.

The carcass structure is associated with a belt structure that cancomprise one or more belt layers, situated in radially superimpositionwith respect to each other and with respect to the carcass ply, havingtextile or metallic reinforcement cords with cross orientation and/orsubstantially parallel to the circumferential extension direction of thetyre (at 0 degrees). A tread band is applied in radially externalposition with respect to the belt structure; such tread band is alsomade of elastomeric material, like other components constituting thetyre.

Respective sidewalls made of elastomeric material are also applied inaxially external position on the lateral surfaces of the carcassstructure, each extended from one of the lateral edges of the tread bandto the respective anchoring annular structure to the beads. In the tyresof “tubeless” type, a covering layer impermeable to air, normally termed“liner”, covers the internal surfaces of the tyre.

Following the building of the green tyre actuated by means of assemblyof respective components, a moulding and vulcanisation treatment isgenerally executed, aimed to cause the structural stabilisation of thetyre by means of cross-linking of the elastomeric compositions as wellas to impress on the same, if requested, a desired tread design andpossible distinctive graphic marks at the sidewalls of the tyre.

The carcass structure and the belt structure are generally obtainedseparately from each other in respective building areas, in order to bemutually assembled at a later time.

More particularly, the obtainment of the carcass structure firstprovides that the carcass ply or plies are applied on a building drum,to form a so-called “carcass sleeve” that is substantially cylindrical.The anchoring annular structures to the beads are fit or formed on theopposite terminal flaps of the carcass ply or plies, which aresubsequently turned up around the annular structures themselves in amanner so as to enclose them in a kind of loop.

On a second drum or auxiliary drum, a so-called “crown structure” isobtained in the form of an external sleeve comprising one or more beltlayers applied in mutual radial superimposition, and possibly the treadband applied in a radially external position with respect to the beltlayer(s).

The crown structure is then picked up by the auxiliary drum in order tobe coupled to the carcass sleeve. The crown structure is for suchpurpose arranged coaxially around the carcass sleeve, after which thecarcass ply or plies are shaped according to a toroidal configuration bymeans of mutual axial approaching of the beads and simultaneousintroduction of pressurized fluid inside the carcass sleeve, so as tocause a radial dilation of the carcass plies until they are adheredagainst the internal surface of the crown structure.

The assembly of the carcass sleeve with the crown structure can beactuated on the same drum used for obtaining a carcass sleeve, in whichcase one speaks of “single-stage building process” or “unistageprocess”. Building processes are also known of so-called “two-step”type, in which a so-called “first-step drum” is employed for making thecarcass sleeve, while the assembly between the carcass sleeve and crownstructure is actuated on a so-called “second-step drum” or “shapingdrum”, on which the carcass sleeve picked up from the first-step drumand, subsequently, the crown structure picked up from the auxiliary drumare transferred.

The document U.S. Pat. No. 4,732,640 describes the use of towersrotatable on vertical axes, cooperating with each other for sequentiallytransferring a semi-finished product between different work stations inorder to obtain a carcass sleeve provided with liner, carcass ply andreinforcement annular structures to the beads.

The document U.S. Pat. No. 3,388,024 describes a building apparatus inwhich a plurality of building drums are moved through work stationsdistributed along a conveyance system, in order for each to receive thecomponents of a respective tyre being processed. Along the conveyancesystem, a pair of towers operates that are rotatable on respectivevertical axes, each having four stations for loading respective drums.In each tower, each drum loaded on one of the loading stations issequentially transferred according to a stepping movement throughrespective work stations, comprising a pair of loading-unloadingstations, a station for heating the semi-finished product and a stationfor applying a reinforcement annular structure of the respective bead.

The document U.S. Pat. No. 6,139,668 describes an apparatus for buildingtyres, in which three towers, rotatable according to respectivehorizontal axes, each carry a pair of drums alternately positionable ata pair of work stations. More particularly, a first tower supports afirst and a second drum, coupled with a station for applying carcassplies and reinforcements and a station for applying liners andsidewalls. A second tower supports a third and a fourth drum, coupledwith a station for laying down belt layers and a station for applying atread band. A third tower, positioned in relation of alignment betweenthe first and second tower, supports a fifth and a sixth drum, paired toa shaping station in which the carcass sleeve is coupled to thebelt-tread band assembly, and a rolling station.

Two transfer units each provide for removing the semi-finished productfrom one of the drums carried to one of the towers, in order to transferit onto one of the drums carried by the adjacent tower.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The Applicant has observed that, in the prior art, undesired drops ofproductivity can occur due to occasional stops of production in the areadedicated to building the carcass sleeves and/or in the area dedicatedto building the crown structures. In particular, the Applicant hasverified that a temporary stop of production at any one of the sleeve orcrown building areas—e.g. due to malfunction or failure, or to allowsetting operations when variations in the size or model of tyres underproduction are requested—necessarily involves the stop of productionalong the entire plant. Indeed, if the production of the carcass sleevesis stopped, the absence of carcass sleeves to be coupled to the newcrown structures (in the meantime produced) forces a suspension of theproduction also in the crown building area. For similar reasons, a stopof the production in the area dedicated to building the crown structuresforces a stop of the production of the carcass sleeves.

The Applicant has therefore perceived the possibility to advantageouslyincrease the productivity, ensuring that the production in each of theareas respectively dedicated to the building of carcass sleeves andcrown structures does not have to be suspended with each stop of theproduction in the other area, exploiting the suitable arrangement of astorage device. The Applicant has therefore found that by arranging astorage device immediately upstream of a station set for shaping eachcarcass sleeve according to a toroidal configuration—said storage devicehaving a loading and picking up geometry such that said actions areobtained in positioned angularly spaced from each other around arotation centre of the carcass sleeves carried by the storage device—itbecomes possible to arrange a supply of carcass sleeves, associable withrespective crown structures produced during occasional production stopsin the carcass sleeve building area. Finally, the plant improves itsreliability in case of stoppage during building both of the carcasssleeves and the crown structures.

More particularly, according to a first aspect, the present inventionrelates to a process for building tyres for vehicle wheels.

It is preferably provided that carcass sleeves obtained in a sleevebuilding area are transferred to a shaping station where each carcasssleeve is shaped according to a toroidal configuration. Preferably, eachshaped sleeve is associated with a respective crown structure obtainedin a crown building area.

Preferably, each carcass sleeve picked up from the sleeve building area,before being carried to the shaping station, transits through a storagedevice arranged to receive a plurality of said carcass sleeves.

Preferably, each carcass sleeve is engaged on the, and picked up fromthe, storage device respectively at a load station and a pick-upstation, angularly spaced from each other around a rotation centre ofthe carcass sleeves carried by the storage device.

In accordance with a second aspect, the invention relates to a plant forbuilding tyres for vehicle wheels.

Provision is preferably made for a sleeve building area in which devicesfor obtaining carcass sleeves operate.

Provision is preferably made for a crown building area in which devicesfor obtaining crown structures operate.

Provision is preferably made for a shaping station for shaping eachcarcass sleeve according to a toroidal configuration.

Provision is preferably made for transfer devices for transferring thecarcass sleeves from the sleeve building area to the shaping station.

Preferably, said transfer devices comprise a first translator configuredfor picking up each carcass sleeve from an outlet station of the sleevebuilding area and transferring it to a load station at a storage device.

Preferably, said transfer devices also comprise a second translatorconfigured for transferring each carcass sleeve from a pick-up stationat said storage device to the shaping station.

Preferably said storage device is operatively interposed between saidfirst translator and second translator.

Preferably the load station and the pick-up station are angularly spacedfrom each other around a rotation centre of the carcass sleeves carriedby the storage device.

The Applicant thus deems it possible to attain significant increases inproductivity. The use of a storage device operatively interposed betweenthe sleeve building line and shaping station in fact allows arranging asupply of carcass sleeves employable for feeding the shaping station incase of temporary production stops in the sleeve building area, forexample due to failures or in case of settings to be executed whenvariations are requested of the size and/or model of the tyres beingprocessed. The processing in the work station and in the crown buildingarea can therefore continue without interruption, until the depletion ofthe carcass sleeves previously stored in the storage device. At the sametime, the storage device is also adapted to store carcass sleevesproduced during occasional production stops in the shaping stationand/or in the crown building area, allowing the continuation of theprocessing with no interruptions in the sleeve building area. TheApplicant also deems that the use of a rotary device allows an improveddesign flexibility in terms of plant layout, the angular orientationpresented by each carcass sleeve being unconstrained respectively in thesleeve building area and in the shaping station. A storage device oflimited size is also obtained, capable of supporting the carcass sleeveswithout damaging them.

In at least one of the aforesaid aspects, the invention can alsocomprise one or more of the following preferred features.

Preferably, each carcass sleeve is engaged with the storage device bymeans of insertion of a support element in said carcass sleeve.

It is thus possible to limit the travel, and consequently the bulk,required by the respective translator to reach the respective load orpick-up station. It therefore becomes possible to limit the size of thestorage device, since both the first and second translator can interactwith the latter without interfering with each other.

Preferably, the insertion of the support element is preceded by anaction of alignment of the carcass sleeve, with its geometric axissubstantially aligned with the support element.

The carcass sleeve can therefore be picked up from the sleeve buildingarea in an outlet station that is not aligned with the support elementpositioned in the load station, improving design flexibility of theplant as a function of the layout requirements.

Preferably, the insertion of the support element is executed by means oflongitudinal translation of the support element parallel to a geometricaxis of the carcass sleeve.

Preferably, each carcass sleeve picked up from the sleeve building areais moved towards the storage device along a first transfer path lying ina vertical plane.

It is thus possible to attain a reduction of the ground bulk of theplant. Preferably, the lying plane of the first transfer path is alignedwith a load station of the storage device.

Preferably, each carcass sleeve is picked up from the storage device andmoved towards the shaping station along a second transfer path lying ina vertical plane.

It is thus possible to obtain a reduction of the ground bulk of theplant. Preferably, the lying plane of the second transfer path isaligned with a pick-up station of the storage device.

Preferably, the lying planes of the first and second transfer path arerespectively orthogonal.

The shaping station can thus be arranged within the crown building area,with consequent compaction of the production plant.

Preferably, the second transfer path is extended substantially accordingto an L-shaped configuration above the shaping station.

Also this solution allows an advantageous reduction of the plan bulk ofthe plant.

Preferably, the first transfer path is extended substantially astride aservice area configured for being occupied by an operator.

It is therefore possible to limit the bulk of the plant without thetransit of the carcass sleeves involving risks for the operator whooversees the service area.

Preferably, said storage device has at least one manual loading stationaccessible from said service area.

If necessary, one or more carcass sleeves can then be loaded on thestorage device in order to anticipate or make up for possible temporarystops of the production in the sleeve building area.

Preferably, each carcass sleeve picked up from the sleeve building area,before being moved along the first transfer path, is translated from anoutlet station to an alignment position respectively offset along adirection orthogonal to the lying plane of the first transfer path.

The carcass sleeve can therefore be picked up from the sleeve buildingarea in an outlet station that is not aligned with the support elementpositioned in the load station.

Preferably, each carcass sleeve picked up from the sleeve building areais supported by means of an action of radial containment distributedover an external surface thereof.

It is thus possible to carry out a reliable gripping action withoutrisking the damaging or twisting of the carcass sleeve.

Preferably, each carcass sleeve picked up from the storage device issupported by means of an action of radial containment distributed overan external surface thereof.

Preferably, in the shaping station a forming drum is internally coupledto each shaped carcass sleeve.

Due to the use of the forming drum, the crown structure can be directlyformed on the shaped carcass sleeve, without having to be separatelyobtained.

Preferably, each forming drum coupled to the carcass sleeve is picked upfrom the shaping station and transferred into the crown building area inorder to obtain said crown structure.

The shaping station is thus available for a new work cycle on a newcarcass sleeve, without having to wait for the obtainment of the crownstructure.

Preferably, each built tyre is removed from the forming drum engaged inthe shaping station, after obtaining the crown structure.

The forming drum is thus available for receiving a new carcass sleeve.Meanwhile, the built tyre can be easily transferred into the servicearea.

Preferably, each tyre removed from the forming drum is transferred intothe service area.

Preferably, the storage device has a plurality of support elementssimultaneously translatable around a common rotation centre.

Preferably, each support element can be selectively positioned at leastat said load station and said pick-up station.

Preferably, the load station and the pick-up station are angularlyspaced by 90° around the rotation centre.

Preferably, said storage device comprises movement members operating atat least one of said load station and pick-up station, in order totranslate each support element between an extracted condition in whichit is radially moved away from the rotation centre and a contractedcondition in which it is moved close to the rotation centre.

Preferably, said movement members comprise a slide guide extended aroundthe rotation centre.

Preferably, said slide guide is extended eccentrically with respect tothe rotation centre.

The advancing of the support element towards the extracted condition cantherefore be obtained simultaneously with the translation of the supportelements around the rotation centre.

Preferably, said slide guide is slidably engaged by sliders, eachcarried by one of said support elements.

Preferably, each support element is slidably engaged on a radial armextended from a rotatable support coaxial with the rotation centre.

Preferably, said movement members comprise an actuator operating on apusher that is radially movable with respect to the rotation centre.

A possibly additional movement of the support element towards the loadstation can thus be attained.

Preferably, a portion of the slide guide is obtained in said pusher.

An integrated coexistence of the movements, respectively attained bymeans of the slide guide and the actuator, is therefore obtained.

Preferably, said first translator comprises a first grip member movablealong a vertical direction and along a horizontal direction along afirst transfer path lying in a vertical plane.

Preferably, said first translator comprises: a first guide beam extendedhorizontally in raised position between the sleeve building area and thestorage device; a first carriage movable along the first guide beam; afirst column slidably engaged with the first carriage and verticallymovable; a first grip member engaged in proximity to a lower end of thefirst column.

It is thus possible to prevent the first translator and the carcasssleeve carried thereby from interfering with equipment or other objectsor other people below.

Preferably, the lying plane of the first transfer path is aligned with aload station of the storage device.

Preferably, said second translator comprises a second grip member mobilein a vertical direction and a horizontal direction along a secondtransfer path lying in a vertical plane. Preferably, said secondtranslator comprises: a second guide beam extended horizontally inraised position with respect to the storage device and above the shapingstation; a second carriage movable along the second guide beam; a secondcolumn slidably engaged with the second carriage and vertically movable;a second grip member engaged in proximity to a lower end of the secondcolumn.

It is thus possible to prevent the second translator and the carcasssleeve carried thereby from interfering with equipment or other objectsor people below.

Preferably, the lying plane of the second transfer path is aligned witha pick-up station of the storage device.

Preferably, the lying planes of the first and second transfer path arerespectively orthogonal.

Preferably, the storage device is arranged in raised position withrespect to the shaping station.

Preferably, the sleeve building area and the crown building area arerespectively side-by-side according to a direction parallel to the lyingplane of the first transfer path, within a rectangular perimeter line.

A rationalized use of the spaces normally available in a rectangle-planindustrial building is therefore attained.

Preferably a service area, configured for being occupied by at least oneoperator, is internally arranged along one side of said perimeter lineand delimited between said sleeve building area and crown building area.

Preferably, the shaping station is positioned within the crown buildingarea. Preferably, the first guide beam is extended above a service areaconfigured for being occupied by an operator.

Preferably, each support element can also be positioned at at least onemanual loading station.

Preferably, the first grip member is carried by an oscillating armrotatably engaged in proximity to the lower end of the first column,according to an oscillation axis parallel to the first guide beam.

Preferably, at least one of said first grip member and second gripmember comprises at least two shells, mutually approachable in order toexert an action of radial containment on an external surface of thecarcass sleeve.

Preferably, each of said shells substantially has semi-cylinder shape.

Preferably, movement members and control units configured in order totranslate the support elements around the rotation centre are mounted onfixed parts of the storage device, with no movement members and/orcontrol units mounted on the support elements or other parts movablearound said rotation centre.

This allows making the support elements carry out even multiple completerevolutions around the rotation centre in any one of the directions,clockwise or anticlockwise, without having to use rotary joints betweenthe fixed parts of the tower and the movable parts. In addition, thestorage device can be driven, according to requirements, both accordingto a so-called FIFO (First-In-First-Out) logic and according to aso-called LIFO (Last-In-First-Out) logic, so as to free the movementsequence of the support elements around the rotation centre from themovement sequence of the first and second translator.

Preferably, the plant also comprises forming drums that can be engagedin the shaping station, each within a respective shaped carcass sleeve.

Preferably, the crown building area comprises movement devices operatingon the single forming drums in order to move the shaped carcass sleevesbetween second work stations distributed in the crown building area.

Preferably, the shaping station comprises unloading devices for removingeach built tyre from the respective forming drum.

Provision is also preferably made for an unloading conveyor arranged inthe service area in order to receive the built tyres from the unloadingdevices.

Further characteristics and advantages will be clearer from the detaileddescription of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of a process forbuilding tyres for vehicle wheels and a plant for building tyres forvehicle wheels, in accordance with the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Such description will be set forth hereinbelow with reference to theenclosed drawings, provided only as a non-limiting example, in which:

FIG. 1 schematically shows a top view of a plant for building tyres;

FIG. 2 shows a detail of FIG. 1 in enlarged scale;

FIG. 3 laterally shows the detail of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 shows a detail of the plant, indicating a first translator inside view;

FIG. 5 shows a detail of the plant, indicating a second translator inside view;

FIG. 6 shows a tyre that can be obtained in accordance with the presentinvention, in interrupted radial section.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to the abovementioned figures, reference number 1 overallindicates a plant for building tyres for vehicle wheels. The plant 1 isarranged for actuating a process for building tyres for vehicle wheels,in accordance with the present invention.

The plant 1 is set for obtaining tyres 2 (FIG. 6) essentially comprisingat least one carcass ply 3 preferably internally covered by a layer ofimpermeable elastomeric material or so-called liner 4. Two anchoringannular structures 5, each comprising a so-called bead core 5 apreferably carrying an elastomeric filler 5 b in radially externalposition, are engaged with respective end flaps 3 a of the carcassply/plies 3. The anchoring annular structures 5 are integrated inproximity to zones normally identified with the name “beads” 6, at whichthe engagement between the tyre 2 and a respective mounting rim (notdepicted) normally occurs.

Around the carcass ply/plies 3, a crown structure 7 is circumferentiallyapplied, for example comprising one or more belt layers 7 a,7 b and atread band 8 circumferentially superimposed on the belt layers 7 a,7 b.Two sidewalls 9, each extended from the corresponding bead 6 to acorresponding lateral edge of the tread band 8, are applied in laterallyopposite positions on the carcass ply/plies 3.

The plant 1 is preferably delimited within a preferably closed perimeterline L, having a rectangular-plan extension. Within the perimeter lineL, a sleeve building area A and a crown building area B areidentifiable, respectively side-by-side. The sleeve building area A andthe crown building area B occupy a main portion, approximately comprisedbetween 70% and 90%, of the surface inscribed in the perimeter line L. Aservice area C, configured for being occupied by at least one operatorO, is internally arranged along one side of the perimeter line L,preferably in substantially central position, and delimited between thesleeve building area A and the crown building area B. In the illustratedexample, the service area C occupies about 20%, approximately from 10%to 30%, of the surface inscribed in the perimeter line L.

In the sleeve building area A, one or more building drums 10 are movedaccording to a pre-established sequence, through a plurality of firstwork stations 11, e.g. according to known modes, in order to form on thebuilding drum itself a carcass sleeve 12 having substantiallycylindrical shape. The carcass sleeve 12 can for example comprise saidat least one carcass ply 3, preferably internally covered by the liner4, and having the respective axially opposite end flaps 3 a engaged,e.g. by turning-up, with the respective anchoring annular structures 5.If necessary, the carcass sleeve 12 can also comprise the sidewalls 9 orfirst portions thereof, each extended starting from a respective bead 6.

In the crown building area B, second work stations 13 are distributedfor obtaining the crown structures 7, and each of these can for examplecomprise the belt layer or layers 7 a, 7 b, the tread band 8 andpossibly at least one part of the sidewalls 9.

It is provided that each carcass sleeve 12 is transferred into a shapingstation 14 where, for example in a known manner, it can be shapedaccording to a toroidal configuration for the purpose of coupling withthe respective crown structure 7.

In accordance with a non-illustrated embodiment, each crown structure 7can be obtained on a respective auxiliary drum, from which it must beremoved in order to be coupled to a respective carcass sleeve 12.

In accordance with a different preferred embodiment, each crownstructure 7 can be advantageously obtained directly on the respectivecarcass sleeve 12.

For such purpose, provision is preferably made such that within eachcarcass sleeve 12 transferred into the shaping station 14, a formingdrum 15 is engaged that is radially expandable within the shaped carcasssleeve 12.

The shaping station 14 can be situated inside the crown building area B.Movement devices 16, comprising for example anthropomorphic roboticarms, operate in the crown building area B in order to sequentially pickup, from the shaping station 14, each forming drum 15 coupled to therespective shaped carcass sleeve 12, and transfer it into the crownbuilding area B, in order to sequentially move it through the secondwork stations 13. The different components of the crown structure 7 cantherefore be obtained according to a desired sequence directly on therespective carcass sleeve 12, suitably shaped and adequately supportedby the respective forming drum 15 for the purpose of obtaining the crownstructure 7. Preferably, at the end of the work cycle in the crownbuilding area B, each forming drum 15 carrying a respective built greentyre 2 is once again engaged in the shaping station 14. The forming drum15 is then radially contracted in order to allow the removal of thebuilt tyre 2, for example by an annular transferring device or otherunloading devices 17 which remove the built tyre 2 in order to move itaway from the shaping station 14. Preferably, each built tyre 2 isreleased on an unloading conveyor 18 arranged in the service area C.

Between the sleeve building area A and the shaping station 14, transferdevices 19 are operatively arranged, configured for separately andsequentially transferring the carcass sleeves 12 from the sleevebuilding area A to the shaping station 14.

The transfer devices 19 preferably comprise a first translator 20configured for picking up each carcass sleeve 12 from an outlet stationD of the sleeve building area A, a second translator 21 configured forreleasing each carcass sleeve 12 in the shaping station 14, and astorage device 22 operatively interposed between the first translator 20and the second translator 21.

The first translator 20 has a first guide beam 23 which is extendedhorizontally, in raised position above the service area C, between thesleeve building area A and the storage device 22. Along the first guidebeam 23, a first carriage 24 is slidably engaged, through which a firstvertically-movable column 25 is in turn slidably engaged.

In proximity to a lower end of the first column 25, an oscillating arm26 is engaged, rotatably according to an axis parallel to the firstguide beam 23; such oscillating arm 26 carries a first grip member 27 atone end thereof. The first grip member 27 preferably comprises at leasttwo first shells 27 a, mutually approachable in order to exert an actionof radial containment on an external surface of the carcass sleeve 12.The first shells 27 a preferably have semi-cylinder shape, so as to beadapted to engage the carcass sleeve 12, exerting an action of radialcontainment on the external surface thereof.

Suitable actuators, not illustrated, drive the controlled movement ofthe first carriage 24 along the first guide beam 23 and of the firstcolumn 25 through the first carriage 24, according to respectivelyperpendicular directions, in order to translate the first grip member 27along a predetermined first transfer path T1, lying in a vertical planepreferably parallel to the direction of mutual side-by-side placement ofsaid sleeve building area A and crown building area B.

The second translator 21 has a second guide beam 28 extendedhorizontally in raised position above the storage device 22 and theshaping station 14, preferably according to an orientation perpendicularto the first guide beam 23. Along the second guide beam 28, a secondcarriage 29 is slidably engaged, through which a vertically-movablesecond column 30 is in turn slidably engaged.

In proximity to a lower end of the second column 30, a second gripmember 31 is engaged, comprising preferably at least twomutually-approachable second shells 31 a. Also the second shells 31 apreferably have semi-cylinder shape, so as to be adapted to engage thecarcass sleeve 12, exerting an action of radial containment on theexternal surface thereof.

Suitable actuators, not illustrated, drive the controlled movement ofthe second carriage 29 along the second guide beam 28 and of the secondcolumn 30 through the second carriage 29, along respectivelyperpendicular directions, in order to translate the second grip member31 along a pre-established second transfer path T2, lying in a verticalplane, preferably orthogonal with respect to the lying plane of thefirst transfer path T1.

The storage device 22, situated for example in proximity to one angle ofthe service area C adjacent to the crown building area B and close tothe shaping station 14, preferably comprises a tower 32 defining arotation centre Y along a vertical axis. The tower 32 carries arotatable support 33 coaxial with rotation centre Y, from which aplurality of angularly-equidistant radial arms 34 are extended. Eachradial arm 34 carries a respective support element 35 having an abutmentsurface on the upper part, with preferably convex shape.

In the illustrated embodiment, four radial arms 34 are provided,carrying respective support elements 35 angularly spaced 90° from eachother. Upon command of an actuator, not illustrated, the rotatablesupport 33 of the tower 32 can be rotated so as to cause a simultaneoustranslation of the support elements 35 around the rotation centre Y,preferably according to one or more angular movement pitches havingvalue corresponding to the angular distance between two respectivelyadjacent support elements 35.

Consequently, each support element 35 can be selectively positioned atleast at a load station E reachable by the first translator 20, and apick-up station F reachable by the second translator 21. Preferably, theload station E and the pick-up station F are angularly spaced by 90°around the rotation centre Y, each aligned with the lying plane of therespective first and second transfer path T1, T2. Provision is alsopreferably made for a manual loading station G, accessible from theservice area C, and preferably arranged in a diametrically oppositeposition with respect to the pick-up station F. A possible transitstation H can be situated in a position diametrically opposite the loadstation E, between the pick-up station F and the manual loading stationG.

Preferably the storage device 22, and more precisely the supportelements 35 carried by the respective radial arms 34, are situated inraised position with respect to the shaping station 14, but in any casesuch that the manual load station E can be easily reached by theoperator O, possibly by means of a suitable ladder K arranged in theservice area C.

The rotatable support 33 and the parts supported thereby, for examplethe radial arms 34 and the support elements 35, preferably lackmotorised members or other components with electrical, hydraulic orpneumatic operation 2. In other words, movement members and controlunits configured in order to translate the support elements 35 aroundthe rotation centre Y, not illustrated in the drawings, are mounted onlyon the tower 32 or other fixed parts of the storage device 22, with nomovement members and/or control units mounted on the support elements 35or other parts movable around the rotation centre Y.

For the first and the second translator 21 to be able to interact withthe storage device 22 without mutually interfering, movement members 36are preferably provided, operating at at least one of said load stationE and pick-up station F, in order to translate each support element 35between an extracted condition in which it is radially moved away fromthe rotation centre Y and a contracted condition in which it is movedclose to the rotation centre Y. In the illustrated embodiment, themovement members 36 operate at the single load station E.

More particularly, a plate 37 is fixed close to the top of the tower 32.On one surface of such plate 37, a slide guide 38 is obtained that isextended eccentrically around the rotation centre Y, substantiallyaccording to a horizontal plane. For example, the slide guide 38 can beobtained from a groove extended according to a line closed around therotation centre Y, and having a circular portion extended for about 180°concentrically around the rotation centre Y, and an eccentric portionextended towards the load station E.

Each support element 35 is slidably engaged along the respective radialarm 34 and, at an end directed towards the rotation centre Y, carries aslider 39, e.g. in roller form, slidably engaged along the slide guide38.

The sliders 39 travel along the slide guide 38 during the rotationimposed on the support elements 35 around the rotation centre Y. Theengagement between the sliders 39 and the slide guide 38 consequentlyforces a radial movement to the support element 35 which is moved closerto or away from the load station E. More particularly, during themovement towards the load station E, each support element 35 translatestowards the respective extracted condition, in order to return towardsthe contracted condition when moving away from the load station Eitself.

Additionally or as an alternative, for example in order to increase thedistance of the load station E from the rotation centre Y, a portion ofthe slide guide 38 engaged by the slider 39 of each support element 35at the load station E can be obtained in a pusher 40 that is radiallymovable away from the rotation centre Y, upon command of an actuator 41fixed to the tower 32.

During the operation of the plant, the building drum or drums 10carrying the carcass sleeves 12 obtained in the sleeve building area Aare separately carried, for example by means of a handling device 42, tothe outlet station D, preferably arranged along one side of the sleevebuilding area A adjacent to the crown building area B and/or to theservice area C. The first translator 20 carries the respective firstgrip member 27 to the outlet station D, in a manner such that thecarcass sleeve 12 is coaxially inserted inside the first grip member 27.With a mutual approaching of the first shells 27 a, the carcass sleeve12 is engaged by the first grip member 27 and can therefore be taken offthe building drum 10, upon possible radial contraction thereof.

With a rotation of the oscillating arm 26, e.g. by about 180°, thecarcass sleeve 12 retained by the first grip member 27 is carried fromthe outlet station D to an alignment position D1 parallel and offsetwith respect to the outlet station D, along a direction orthogonal tothe lying plane of the first transfer path T1. Upon reaching thealignment position D1, the carcass sleeve 12 has its geometric axis X-Xcoplanar with the first transfer path T1.

The geometric axis X-X of each carcass sleeve 12 coincides with therotation axis of the respective tyre 2 during production.

The presence of the oscillating arm 26 on the first translator 20ensures that the outlet station D may if necessary not be aligned withthe load station E on the storage device 22, so as to improve the designflexibility of the plant as a function of the needs.

The translation of the first column 25 and of the first carriage 24 isthen driven, in order to move the carcass sleeve 12 along the firsttransfer path T1, extended preferably astride the service area C. Moreparticularly, with a translation of the movable first column 25, alifting of the carcass sleeve 12 is caused up to a height of at least2100 mm, suitable for preventing risks of collision with the operator Opresent in the service area C. The movement of the first carriage 24 isthen driven, which makes the carcass sleeve 12 carry out a horizontaltranslation along its geometric axis X-X, above the service area C. Anew downward translation of the first column 25 causes an alignment ofthe carcass sleeve 12 in a manner such that its geometric axis X-X isaligned with the support element 35 arranged in the load station E. Anew movement of the first carriage 24 and/or the movement of the supportelement 35 in the extracted condition is then driven upon command of theactuator 41, if not carried out above, in order cause the insertion ofthe support element itself within the carcass sleeve 12, parallel to thegeometric axis X-X of the latter.

The first shells 27 a can thus be moved away in order to free thecarcass sleeve 12, setting it on the support element 35, after which thefirst grip member 27 is removed from the carcass sleeve 12, whichremains engaged to the support element 35 in the load station E.

The support element 35 is brought back towards the contracted conditionupon command of the actuator 41 and, with a translation of the supportelements 35 around the rotation centre Y, according to an angle of 90°in anticlockwise sense with respect to the FIG. 1, the carcass sleeve 12is transferred from the load station E to the pick-up station F.

Simultaneously, a possible additional carcass sleeve 12, manually loadedby the operator O, is transferred from the manual loading station G tothe load station E, ready to be transferred to the pick-up station Fwith a new translation of the support elements 35 around the rotationcentre Y.

The carcass sleeve 12 carried into the pick-up station F is engaged bythe second grip member 31 carried by the translator 21, in a manneranalogous to that stated with reference to the first grip member 27.

The carcass sleeve 12 is therefore adapted to be picked up from thestorage device 22 and moved towards the shaping station 14 along thesecond transfer path T2, extended according to an L-shaped configurationabove the shaping station 14. More particularly, with a horizontaltranslation of the second carriage 29 along the second guide beam 28,the carcass sleeve 12 is removed from the support element 35 in thepick-up station F and carried above the shaping station 14. A subsequentdescent of the second column 30 places the carcass sleeve 12 within theshaping station 14.

The carcass sleeve 12 is then engaged in the shaping station 14, inorder to be shaped according to the toroidal configuration required forthe purpose of coupling with the crown structure 7 subsequently obtainedin the crown building area B.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A process for building tyres for vehiclewheels, comprising: transferring carcass sleeves obtained in a sleevebuilding area to a shaping station, wherein each carcass sleeve isshaped according to a toroidal configuration in order to be associatedwith a respective crown structure obtained in a crown building area, andwherein transferring comprises: transiting carcass sleeves through astorage device configured to receive a plurality of the carcass sleeves,wherein each carcass sleeve is picked-up from the sleeve building areabefore being carried to the shaping station, and the storage devicecomprises a load station, a pick-up station, one or more supportelements, and a tower defining the rotation center (Y) along a verticalaxis, with the load station and the pick-up station angled from oneanother around the rotation center (Y), wherein each carcass sleeve isengaged with the storage device by inserting at least one of the one ormore support elements in the carcass sleeve.
 2. The process as claimedin claim 1, wherein insertion of the one or more support elements ispreceded by an action of alignment of the carcass sleeve with ageometric axis thereof substantially aligned with the one or moresupport elements.
 3. The process as claimed in claim 1, whereininserting the one or more support elements is executed by longitudinallytranslating the one or more support elements parallel to a geometricaxis of the carcass sleeve.
 4. The process as claimed in claim 1,wherein each carcass sleeve picked up from the sleeve building area ismoved toward the storage device along a first transfer path lying in avertical plane.
 5. The process as claimed in claim 4, wherein the lyingplane of the first transfer path is aligned with the load station of thestorage device.
 6. The process as claimed in claim 4, wherein eachcarcass sleeve is picked up from the storage device and moved toward theshaping station along a second transfer path lying in a vertical plane.7. The process as claimed in claim 6, wherein the lying plane of thesecond transfer path is aligned with the pick-up station of the storagedevice.
 8. The process as claimed in claim 6, wherein the lying planesof the first transfer path and second transfer path are respectivelyorthogonal.
 9. The process as claimed in claim 5, wherein the secondtransfer path is extended substantially according to an L-shapedconfiguration above the shaping station.
 10. The process as claimed inclaim 4, wherein the first transfer path is extended substantiallyastride a service area configured for use by an operator.
 11. Theprocess as claimed in claim 10, wherein said storage device has at leastone manual loading station accessible from said service area.
 12. Aprocess for building tyres for vehicle wheels, comprising: transferringcarcass sleeves obtained in a sleeve building area to a shaping station,wherein each carcass sleeve is shaped according to a toroidalconfiguration in order to be associated with a respective crownstructure obtained in a crown building area, wherein each carcass sleevepicked up from the sleeve building area, before being carried to theshaping station, transits through a storage device configured to receivea plurality of said carcass sleeves, wherein the storage devicecomprises a load station, a pick-up station, one or more supportelements, and a tower defining a rotation center (Y) along a verticalaxis, the load station and the pick-up station are angled from oneanother around the rotation center, and each carcass sleeve is engagedwith the storage device by inserting at least one of the one or moresupport elements into the carcass sleeve; wherein each carcass sleevepicked up from the sleeve building area is moved toward the storagedevice along a first transfer path lying in a vertical plane; andwherein each carcass sleeve picked up from the sleeve building area,before moving along the first transfer path, is translated from anoutlet station to an alignment position respectively offset along adirection orthogonal to the lying plane of the first transfer path. 13.The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein each carcass sleeve picked upfrom the sleeve building area is supported by an action of radialcontainment distributed over an external surface thereof.
 14. Theprocess as claimed in claim 1, wherein each carcass sleeve picked upfrom the storage device is supported by an action of radial containmentdistributed over an external surface thereof.
 15. The process as claimedin claim 1, wherein, in the shaping station, a forming drum isinternally coupled to each shaped carcass sleeve.
 16. The process asclaimed in claim 6, wherein each carcass sleeve is coupled to a formingdrum, is picked up from the shaping station, and transferred into thecrown building area in order to obtain said crown structure.